Bell 206 B3 N204PA

Summary

On 23 September 2011 at about 21:30 local time, a Bell 206 B3 registered N204PA, operated by Pathfinder Aviation, was involved in an accident near Seward, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 September 2011 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Seward, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.0706, -149.9533

Aircraft

Bell 206 B3

Registration

N204PA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Pathfinder Aviation

Operating rule

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Seward → Seward

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC11TA110

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from snow-covered terrain during hover in deteriorating weather and flat light conditions, which resulted in a tail rotor strike.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial helicopter pilot, with two passengers aboard, was supporting a snow survey crew atop an expansive, smooth, featureless, and snow-covered glacial ice field. This operation required brief stops at various predetermined sites along a prearranged route. When the pilot departed from one site en route to the next predetermined site, deteriorating weather conditions coupled with flat light conditions hampered his ability to see the topographical features of the ice field below. As the pilot slowed the helicopter to make a precautionary landing, the helicopter “touched down early.” After the initial touchdown, the pilot hover-taxied the helicopter to an area about 20 or 30 yards beyond the initial touchdown point, then he landed the helicopter in the deep snow. After landing, the helicopter tipped backwards as the aft portion of the skids settled into the deep snow, and the tail rotor blades subsequently struck the snow. The operator reported no preaccident mechanical problems with the helicopter. Before the helicopter could be ferried from the site, a maintenance technician inspected the helicopter for damage. Finding no apparent damage, the helicopter was started, ground run, and then hovered. While hovering, a tail rotor driveshaft coupling separated, and the pilot did a hovering autorotation back to the snow-covered ice field. As a result of the tail rotor driveshaft coupling separation, the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor drive shaft assembly. The damage to the tail rotor drive shaft occurred as the helicopter was being ferried from the site, not during the original event. Most likely the drive shaft was degraded during the first landing, but it did not separate until the ferry flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.